England player ratings vs Wales | 2024 Guinness Women's Six Nations
England player ratings live from Ashton Gate: John Mitchell’s England made it two wins from two in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations with an eight-try, 46-10 win over Wales in Bristol in front of a vibrant attendance of 19,705, a record for a non-Twickenham home game.
After an error-hit opening where their infringing scrum eventually resulted in them going three early points behind, the defending champions hit back to score three tries in a hard-fought 18-minute spell, and the opening half then finished with them bagging the four-try bonus point in the second minute of added time.
This 24-3 interval scoreline was harsh on Wales who spent plenty of time threatening in the English 22, but Marlie Packer and co were too streetwise when defending their line.
The English then started the second half like an express, sprinting the scoreboard to 34-3 before conceding and then ratcheting it up again to have their eighth try scored by the 62nd minute and declaring their innings.
England won’t be pleased with their first-half handling errors, but their overall display had more satisfaction than last Sunday’s seven-try, 48-0 win in Italy.
True, England were hampered by Sarah Beckett’s early red card six days ago, but there was a general lack of accuracy in their attack and they only made it to the break in Parma 10 points clear before finally getting a run on the Italians.
Here, with an XV showing seven changes and containing entirely fresh half-back and midfield combinations, there was much more poise about what they created and this ingenuity served them well.
Their inaccuracy off the kicking tee, though, is an issue that will need reviewing as just three of their eight tries were converted (the wind shouldn’t be an excuse). Their general lack of bench impact will also merit discussion. Here are the England player ratings:
15. Ellie Kildunne – 7
Very busy but sometimes too busy in the sense that her frantic style of play lacked complete polish and precision. In at the corner, though, for her team’s fifth try on 43 and brilliantly got there again 19 minutes later.
14. Abby Dow – 7.5
Brought the wow factor at just the right moment in the opening salvo, making a terrific break to create the opening try. Then scored herself early in the second.
13. Megan Jones – 7.5
The Cardiff-born Welsh speaker importantly came alive when the match was there to be won in the opening half, making some momentum-shifting breaks including the one from her 22 to ignite the move for Hannah Botterman’s 24th-minute try. Liked a dominant tackle as well.
12. Tatyana Heard – 7
Another called up to improve the midfield, she began with the cheap spill that cost penalty points at the resulting scrum. However, she settled after that to enjoy a useful 64-minute appearance.
11. Jess Breach – 5.5
The quietest of the England backs, this was a match played out away from her area and she exited on the hour.
10. Holly Aitchison – 7
Can’t be happy with her inaccuracy off the kicking tee, but she was good in getting the England attack moving better than in Italy. Her best moment was in defence, though, her classy intercept when rushing off her try line frustrating Wales when the result was still in the balance in the opening half.
What … A … Finish 🤩@elliekildunne 👏👏👏#GuinnessW6N #ENGWAL pic.twitter.com/vMOPDVFfLJ
— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 30, 2024
9. Natasha Hunt – 7
Mixed some good with some not-so-good. An example was the quick penalty tap in her half in the first half, which was a smart play, but it ended with a shanked kick on halfway that went out on the full. She was also unusually penalised by the referee for not adhering to a ‘use it now’ call. Stuck at it, though.
1. Hannah Botterman – 8
Broke the half-hour stalemate in Parma and while she would have kicked herself at being at fault for the scrum penalty that gave Wales early points here, she was otherwise excellent. Constantly hungry to carry in her 63 minutes, her reward was her team’s third try.
2. Lark Atkin-Davies – 6
Another who had an up and down time of it. Gave away two first-half penalties in quick succession, pinning her team back on the defence at 12-3. However, her one-half contribution, ended by a HIA, finished on the high of scoring the bonus try off a lineout maul in added time.
3. Maud Muir – 7.5
Should be chuffed with what she did. Scored the try that got England into the lead they never lost and her work rate was impressive in her 53 minutes, particularly when coming around the corner to offer a carry option. Her tackling was also a positive, with some power scrummaging as well.
4. Zoe Aldcroft – 7.5
A 50th cap for the 2021 World Rugby player of the year, she shrugged off an early error to help decisively wield momentum in her 59 minutes. Scored England’s second try on 15 minutes and led the first-half tackle count.
5. Rosie Galligan – 8.5
The fit-again lock was voted player of the match. The Welsh lineout she stole on 18 minutes epitomized her wily impact.
6. Sadia Kabeya – 7.5
The joint least capped player with Galligan in this very experienced XV, her 15th appearance saw her get on the ball regularly when England needed to get motoring in the tricky opening half. One of the few players to finish out the game well.
7. Marlie Packer – 8.5
After all the rightful fuss over her centurion appearance last weekend, she was cheered off here on 59 minutes after an excellent display where her defence was a real thorn to Wales. Just look at that crafty first-half intervention for the spill that ended a concerted opposition attack in the 22, giving England possession to go the length and score their third.
8. Alex Matthews – 8
Promoted from the bench following Beckett’s suspension, she more than merited her place as his tackle count was exceptional in putting a full stop to Welsh resistance.
A try on your 50th cap 😎@zoealdcroft_ is over the line for @RedRosesRugby 🌹#GuinnessW6N #ENGWAL pic.twitter.com/3cG0o6OQql
— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 30, 2024
Replacements:
16. Connie Powell – 7
Played the entire second half and quickly got stuck into it, beginning with the break that built the pressure for her team’s emphatic opening.
17. Mackenzie Carson – 5
Given the closing 17 minutes, but England’s performance petered out.
18. Kelsey Clifford – 5.5
Arrived in the 53rd minute with the score at 34-3 to experience a lung-bursting 10 minutes where there were tries scored at either end but that was it.
19. Abbie Ward –5.5
Would have hoped to have helped England to better close out the game in the final 21 minutes, but there was just one try in all that time from her team.
20. Maddie Feaunati – 5.5
Ditto Ward.
21. Lucy Packer – 5
The stage was set for fresh legs to dominate the dying embers but England lacked accuracy in her 16 minutes.
22. Zoe Harrison – 5
See Packer.
23. Sydney Gregson – 5.5
Another whose bench cameo didn’t amount to much as the game was done and dusted when she was seen on the hour.
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
59 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
59 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
59 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
59 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
59 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
59 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
59 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
59 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
59 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
59 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
59 Go to comments